[chooms]

[rant]

Just checked in CNS-BNE, actually sitting in temp QP right now.

Despite lining up in J check-in queue and presentation of WP card, no priority luggage tag was placed on checked in luggage.

I have a tight connection to a function in BNE this evening and I am now anticipating wait at carousel thus delaying precious drinking time.

I have never had a piece of luggage not tagged with either 'priority' or 'business' and have always had luggage come out the other end towards the front of the carousel queue so I am now considering this a test as to whether priority tags work (my guess is a resounding yes but will wait and see)

[/end rant]

Now, should have I asked for the tag to be placed on the luggage or not? Has anyone else had this happen and pointed it out to the check-in staff? Would be interested to hear other experiences.

Chooms

[serfty]

When I check luggage, I watch for this like a hawk ... gently assisting the agent if necessary.

... I learned to do this from experience.

[tscharke]

IMHO tags only act as fashion statements for our luggage!

With one exception, I seem to gain very little benefit if not any, from priority, business or even first class tags - especially with QF!

The one exception is HK airport- it appears that the HK handlers actually take time to read tags and action them accordingly!

On my last trip to NA, the time saved going through immigration with the APEC card was quickly deemed useless by having to wait until the end for my luggage to arrive - both ways!!! So the bright yellow QF 1st class tag and the OWE purple & green tag stood for jack!

So should Chooms had have requested the tag? Hell yeah! Would have it made any difference? Hell No!

Out of interest I have always wanted to know someone that has experienced their luggage being the first to come out? Anyone here?

If this miracle actually happened to me I dont think I could resist the temptation to strut like a rooster around the carousel a few times with bags in hand!!! .......... er well maybe nawt!

[nlagalle]

Originally Posted by tscharke

Out of interest I have always wanted to know someone that has experienced their luggage being the first to come out? Anyone here?

well I was returning from PEK last week and my luggage was out within 12 mins of leaving the plane. I breezed through Immigration and was only waiting a couple of minutes before my 3 cases came out.. all with Priority tags on them! Same when I arrived in PEK they were out before the bulk of the luggage.

As i hardly ever have checked baggage in DOM these days I can't comment...

[canabear]

i would suggest that the reason tags are frequently not being applied to bags these days is that the baggage handlers dont care. Domestically at least. When i check a bag and it gets tagged it still comes out towards the end of the luggage. If anything it seems to be a interpreted as 'not priority'.

[JohnK]

I must be lucky as I get priority tags on my luggage almost all of the time. The only times I have had an issue is at some airports overseas.

As I have been commuting SYD-BNE the last few months I have noticed on many occassions the first bags out on the carousel do not have priority tags. My bag usually comes out on the carousel somewhere in the miiddle which means I am waiting an extra minute or so. No big deal in the grand scheme of things and my new trick is to stop into the lounge for a couple of quickies before heading downstairs to find my bag all alone going round and round on the carousel.

[tscharke]

Originally Posted by JohnK

I must be lucky as I get priority tags on my luggage almost all of the time. The only times I have had an issue is at some airports overseas.

As I have been commuting SYD-BNE the last few months I have noticed on many occassions the first bags out on the carousel do not have priority tags. My bag usually comes out on the carousel somewhere in the miiddle which means I am waiting an extra minute or so. No big deal in the grand scheme of things and my new trick is to stop into the lounge for a couple of quickies before heading downstairs to find my bag all alone going round and round on the carousel.

JohnK has his priorities in check

[NM]

for domestic flights, especially a 737 like the CNS-BNE flight in question, I find the time difference between the first and last bags is rarely more than 5 mins. You can get more variation than that just at the taxi queue or traffic leaving BNE airport.

In my experience, these days they tend to unload the entire hold onto the trollies before heading into the building to unload onto the belt.

So even though you deserved priority tags, the lack of them is unlikely to add a huge time delay to the arrival process for a 737 at BNE.

[chooms]

I apologise to the check-in dude in CNS for trashing his name. Arrived in BNE this evening to find that my bag did have a J tag on it... and surprisingly it was 4th on the belt!

The 5mins between first and last out tonight would have meant an extra 20mins waiting for a taxi..... nightmare taxi queue formed 2mins after i joined!

[NM]

Originally Posted by chooms

The 5mins between first and last out tonight would have meant an extra 20mins waiting for a taxi..... nightmare taxi queue formed 2mins after i joined!

BNE taxi queues have been really bad for a while now. And even when you get into the cab it can take a long time to get ou of the airport. Last week the meter had climbed to over $10 before I left the airport (including flag fall and $3 BAC charge). Was $20 before I reached the Gateway Arterial!